“I get really tired of cranberry sauce,” says Porter. Her solution? “Sometimes I’ll do a very sweet pickled red onion and beet chutney.”

Practised as they are, we’ve asked the experts for some tips on making your side dishes sing this season.

Pickled Red Onion and Beet Chutney

Porter’s method involves cooking one or two red onions and several chopped beets on low with some white or brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar.

She recommends a sweeter variety of vinegar, like rice wine or champagne vinegar. “You can also add dried fruit like raisins or apricots if you want.” She advises it will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Smoked Butternut Squash Puree

Porter shares this unique way of preparing a readily available root vegetable. “It takes on a bit of bacon flavour, without the bacon,” she says.

Soak some culinary wood chips according to package instructions.

Line a roasting pan with foil. Add the wood chips, top with a rack and then the squash, halved. Cover with foil and let smoke on the stovetop for 20 - 30 minutes.

“Pop a window open as you’re doing this,” advises Porter.

Remove the squash from the chips and put it in the oven, covered with foil, on 350 F for another 30 minutes or so, until the squash is soft.

Scoop the squash from the skin. Mash it in a pot with cream and butter and heat through on the stovetop on medium.

A Twist on the Classics

To update those old-fashioned mashed potatoes, Porter adds other root vegetables like parsnip or pumpkin.

“You literally just cook the parsnip and potato together,” she says, “It makes it sweeter, and you can add honey to make it even more sweet.”

For a delicious turn on stuffing, incorporate mushrooms and truffle oil. Porter says many varieties of mushroom work, with morels adding a high-end hint. For an Alberta element, she also suggests Mo-Na Food’s powdered porcini mushrooms.

For mushroom stuffing, simply sauté the mushrooms in butter and add to the stuffing ingredients. Mix in a dash of truffle oil just before the stuffing goes in the turkey.

Mo-Na Food Distributors Owner Michael Avenati (780-435-4370, monafood.ca) further recommends the dried mushroom powder as part of a seasoning rub for your turkey. “It’s also a nice addition to gravy to create a new flavour profile. It dissolves well in liquid,” he adds.

Avenati suggests using a combination of fresh and dried mushroom types to enhance a stuffing recipe. “Fresh shiitakes would be a nice touch — they go well with poultry.” Watch for Mo-Na Food’s booth to return to Edmonton’s City Market Downtown this summer.

A Matter of Balance

When it comes to menu planning, chef Parker recommends considering the overall weight or balance of the meal. Turkey and roast beef are heavier foods, so he proposes roasted potatoes on the side — lighter than mashed. He adds, “I like to serve two or three salads, so you have an option that’s lighter.”

And he advises, don’t be afraid to try a tapas-only holiday feast where guests can circulate and eat at their own pace, “That’s what I like about the holidays — socializing. After a turkey dinner you get tired and fall asleep on the couch.”

And speaking of holiday harmony, what if you just can’t get the kids to eat their Brussels sprouts? Famoso Neapolitan Pizzerias (multiple locations in Calgary, Edmonton and other centres, famoso.ca) are serving the Cavoletti pizza. Its toppings include prosciutto crisps, Gorgonzola cheese, walnuts — and oven-roasted Brussels sprouts.

Famoso’s Regional Operations Manager for Alberta says it’s a staff favourite. David Houseman adds, “Because it’s on a pizza, a lot of kids probably don’t even notice the Brussels sprouts.”

And if they eat the whole thing, reward them with a family-friendly version of a favourite holiday cocktail. Until Dec. 31, Famoso is offering Old World Egg Nog gelato. This sweet treat is rewarding on two fronts. One dollar from every scoop goes to charity: the Christmas Bureau in Edmonton, and the Mustard Seed in Calgary.

Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Rub with grapeseed oil and sea salt. Place on a bake sheet and roast at 325 F until soft, approximately 60 minutes.

Zest then juice the oranges, keeping juice and zest separate.

Place the rum in a small pot on high heat. Reduce by half. Remove from heat. Set aside.

In a small saucepot, add cream, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, zest from one orange and juice from both oranges. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Remove sweet potatoes from oven. Let cool at room temperature. Once cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out centres.

Mash in a large bowl. Add cream and butter. Mix until smooth.

Place in an ovenproof dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with orange zest, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Cover with chopped pecans.

Place in oven on broil for 3-6 minutes or until lightly brown.

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